NUM accepts Northam Platinum wage offer

The National Union of Mineworkers ( NUM)members have triumphed in their battle that lasted for 75 days of bloodless strike . The strike that was characterized by unity, peace and harmony has come to an end.

This follows an acceptance of the revised offer from the company by our members. Our members have unanimously accepted the offer. This offer is as follows.

Management improved their offer by 0,5%. This take their total offer to 9,5% for Core workers and 8.5% for non core workers for category 2-8 employees. They further proposed 9% for living out allowance. This is a proposal of two years.

For category 9-10 the company propose 7,5% for non core employes and 8 % for core employees. 7 % for living out allowance. This is a two year proposed agreement.

The R3000 once-off payment that was proposed by the management will now be included as an exgracia payment for 23 months and then added on employees basic salaries on the 24th Month. This means R125,00 for every month for a period of 23 months and be added on the basic salaries on the 24th month on catergory 2-8 and category 9-10. This is the alternative proposal that we could not divulge in our last statement that we issued.

This takes the overall increase on basic wages to between 9,8 and 11,8%. NUM thanks the families of its members , public,churches for their prayers and the media for the dissemination of the information to the public.

The NUM will continue to fight for better salaries and better working conditions for our members.

NUM will never allow a situation where our members risk their precious life, deep down the surface of the earth in searing heat to earn poverty wages. It is unacceptable.

This has been a peaceful, bloodless and effective legal strike.The NUM maintains that violence strikes are unnecessary and they should never be allowed to replace dialogue. We truly thank our members for their discipline during this tough and difficult industrial action here at Northam Platinum Limpopo.

We further reiterate our call that the board of Northam Platinum must intervene. We cannot afford a situation where every round of wage negotiations in this company is settled by a long strike and this is not sustainable.

Parties will be busy with the cleaning of the agreement and once we are satisfied with the agreement, we will sign it and then workers can go back to work.